On several fly recipes I have seen Punch Embroidery Yarn specified. Most recently I noted the callout in a series of “Too Simple Flies” by our sorely missed Al Campbell. In the photos it looks like a nice crinkley yarn. I call yarn stores, fabric stores and craft shops and they act as if I’m from Mars. What is the story here? Where can I buy some?
I tied some flies last year that required it. I found mine on ebay. John
[url=http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html:360df]http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html[/url:360df]
I wish you all everlasting flies and tight lines.
Hey Ray,
Al and others had told me that I could
find it in Walmart or any fabric shop. I’ve
been in several, made my queries, and got
the same looks. If you figure it out,
please let me know too. Warm regards, Jim
At the bottom of the “Too Simple PMD Nymph” pattern, Al Campbell gave a source reference to purchase the Punch Yarn.
“I use punch embroidery yarn in a lot of my patterns. It is simply the easiest dubbing substitute I have found. For all of you who have asked where you can buy it, here is a link: [url=http://www.punchneedlemarketplace.com:631f6]www.punchneedlemarketplace.com[/url:631f6] It isn’t expensive, and it is so simple to use, many will feel guilty using it. For the rest of you, give it a try.” ~ AC
[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 19 December 2005).]
I got several spools of this stuff from my sister who does some embroidery. She had acquired it with a box of stuff and told me she had never seen it before and that punch embroidery was something that not many folks did anymore.
I use a brand from J&P Coates called Plastic Canvas Yarn. This is available from any sewing center at Wal-Mart or Michael’s or other sewing and fabric stores. When cut into little 1/4 inch or so pieces and blended in a coffee grinder you can get some really interesting colors.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
Here is a picture of the J&P Coats acrylic yarn. It is softer than another brand that I have which is called Needleloft plastic canvas yarn.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
To Jim Hatch…since you asked…[and to billnepp]…the stuff that Al used is like the Frank B Punch link…it was indeed at Wal-Mart… however I have not seen it for several years…it is acrylic and at least what was at Wal-Mart were earthy ,insect-like colors…there seems to be others that are punch yarns but not necessarily the same.
It was very inexpensive and indeed it is such a good substitute for dubbing you do feel guilty…as Steve pointed out in th AC quote.
It was perfect for the “Too Simple Flies”.
[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 20 December 2005).]
Wooly , I use a lot of the yarn in your picture and it is great stuff but it is not the punch yarn referred to…just to avoid any confusion.
[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 20 December 2005).]
Ducksterman, You are correct. I was just offering it as one of the many choices that is available. The other yarn that I have “Needleloft” is much stiffer and has a “harder” feel in tecture. All are acrylic yarns and are great to work with.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
Yes Ducksterman, I noticed that after my post…this is why I removed it…and I did make an order tonight for the punch yarn at the same place Steven H referred to…lol…Funny I got that in my google search…they appear to be based right here in the states, well atleast they deal in dollars and not the stuff I’m not totally understanding with in exchange rates…gotta watch that , It can suprise you…
as it did on my floss blowline outfit a few months back!! still gotta get that setup yet…lol
I was suprised to see that it is acrylic, They also offer Polyester but I don’t believe that would give near the desired effects…
Thanks Duck,
I never doubted Al or the others, just
was getting exasperated that nobody knew
what the heck I was talking about. I’ve
since gone back and looked at Al’s articles
where he was using punch yarn, and have yet
to find anything in the local stores that
looks as “buggy”. Looking at his great
pictures, his punch yarn looks more like
dubbed thread. I can see where it would
speed up the tying of a number of patterns.
Warm regards, Jim
Jim,
I asked Al in a thread about that exact thing…his pictures looked so buggy…and as I recall he felt it was more apparent than real in the pictures.
Getting back to the original subject, could some of the confusion be that while “Al” did use Punch acrylic yarn for fly bodies he applied it as a chopped-up dubbing and not as a wound-on yarn without mentioning it?
Jim,
I think it appears so buggy after it’s been worked with, Like binding and slideing through the whipfinnisher and such.
From what i gathered reading the info before placing my order they sell brushes for use in blending the different colors after they have done the designs in the embroidery…so maybe a dubbing teaser will give the results your hopeing for… ?.. Just a thought.
I know the acrylic yarns like wooley has pictured get very frazzeled if you work them or tease them.
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) “Spinner’d Minner Fly”
“Wish ya great fishing”
Bill
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 21 December 2005).]
I just ordered an assortment from Punch Needle Marketplace per suggestion in this thread. I will follow up with a report.
Marry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
Ray,
Check out Al’s to simple series, I think it’s the pmd that clearly shows hes applying the yarn with his whippfinnisher…and it looks buggy…
Ray.
Bill has it right. I used to do punch embroidery and I still have one of the little brushes. You would be amazed at the look you can achieve from brushing the yarn out. I used to make punch embroidery Santas and brush the beards out for a realistic look.
Steve
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went”-Will Rogers
[This message has been edited by biot midge (edited 21 December 2005).]
Hey Ray,
Thanks, I’ll be looking forward to
seeing how it works out for you. I’m still
looking for a local source.
Steve,
If you can comb a beard for Santa from
punch yarn, then I suspect it would work OK
for a scud pattern!? Would be quick and
easy for sure.
Warm regards, Jim
I must have too much time on my hands…anyway I wanted to see if photos made the yarn look a little more fuzzy.
Here’s a sample of what I have…this is spooled off the larger spools it came on…
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/spools.jpg:bc133]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/spools.jpg[/url:bc133]
![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/spools.jpg[/url:bc133]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/spools.jpg%5B/url:bc133%5D){kind=link}
And here is an attempt at a close-up…not a great picture…note it is double stranded…
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/Closeup.jpg:bc133]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/Closeup.jpg[/url:bc133]
![http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/Closeup.jpg[/url:bc133]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/ducksterman/Closeup.jpg%5B/url:bc133%5D){kind=link}
Ray, I’d be interested after you get yours if you think it is the same stuff.